reading and writing about why we work

August 2014

08/31/2014

The movement of women in the workforce, during the WWII campaigns of Rosie the Riveter, is an example of proving the theory of Shawn Acher; that positive psychology carries more benefits for the worker. I find this more realistic than Marx statements, "In the estrangement of the object of labor is merely summarized the estrangement, the alienation, in the activity of labor itself." Marx claims this type of industrial work of manufacturing products that belong to large companies, and leaves the producers without pride of production, or claim to product, seems directly refuted by the movement of women performing these tasks during the WWII movement of women in the workforce. With the launch of recruitment campaigns based on women taking pride in producing goods, and services, for the sole purpose of contributing to the companies that directly effected the soldiers and well being of our country, came a movement of pride in work disassociated from the worker. I think the only explanation of this conflicting anomaly can be made by taking into account that these women, enlarge, had the mentality that Shawn Acher is portraying in his theory of putting happiness before the succession of work. The women that heeded the call during the WWII recruitment, had a strong sense of pride in country, and took joy in knowing, before they enlisted in work, that their contributions mattered. Even though the majority had no claim to product rights, and received about half the pay of a male providing the same products and services. I am inspired by the reason for work these women found, and agree that it directly portrays the notion of John Calvin, when he said, "Hence also will arise peculiar consolation, since there will be no employment so mean and sordid as not to appear truly respectable and be deemed highly important in the sight of God." No matter the beliefs you hold in your ability to perform a task, take pleasure in the act, and pride that you have the opportunity to perform at all. I for one am relearning the pleasure, and pride I have in my work as an artist, and look forward to the future of being able to support my family from my work.

I feel that the letter that Mozart wrote to his father about having to create and opera for the French is a well thought out explanation of working for pleasure rather than for money. The quote, If, on the other hand, I write a great opera, the remuneration is better, I am working in my own peculiar sphere, in which I delight, and have a greater chance of being appreciated, because in great work there is more opportunity to gain approval.(Mozart), expresses his views that doing what you were put on Earth to do gives you an advantage over others. I enjoyed this passage because it related to my interests and how I view work as well. While surely no one wants to work at a job they dislike, not everyone can follow what they love because of outside factors. People who can't do what they love are less likely to excel and bring more to the world. Whereas those who love their jobs will strive for the betterment of themselves, not necessarily to impress others. At the point of loving one's job, stress is taken as a challenge, not a threat. (TED) This appeals to my interests because, no matter what I am doing, be it drawing, dance or singing, I meet challenges as games rather than something to be feared.

Here is a clip from one of Mozart's Operas

Work Cited

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. “July 31, 1778 Letter to His Father.” The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 1769-191,Volume 1.Translated by Lady Wallace. New York and Philadelphia: Hurd and Hurd,1866.Web.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5307/5307-­‐h/5307-­‐h.htm#link2H_4_0004

While scanning through multiple Gig articles, I kept in mind the idea that I want to be able to relate to someone. I need someone who shares the same sort of job as I do. A job that may be boring, stressful, and at times simply chaotic, but one that ensures learning experience. "McDonald's Crew Member" by Kysha Lewin caught my eye. Kysha is motivated to work because of her awareness that she needs to contribute to her family's funds. Similar to myself, Kysha's selflessness and deep care for her family is what drove her to obtain a job. Many teens are not thrilled to become a part of the work force, but because of lack of funds, many are pushed to obtain some sort of job. Though she is not passionate about her job, Kysha thinks of it as a learning experience for herself and all of her future endeavors. By the end of the article, Kysha sums up her ideas for working as, "A year from now, I'm gonna have a better job. I have a lot of confidence in myself. There's nothing I can't do. I'm fine." I admire Kysha's maturity in knowing that an individual will not be confined to just one job their entire life. Working at McDonalds is simply Kysha's first job, she will not be stuck there forever, but instead, it is her stepping stone in to the work place. She is blessed with the wisdom that she has the power to change her direction whenever she wants to; therefore, she has all of the control in her life, not her boss, her family, or her co-workers. Though our jobs may share many similarities, Kysha's article attracted me because I hope I can attain some of her knowledge when it comes to my job at In N Out. I lack the ability to remain objective and neutral while working; consequently, I lose the opportunity to become educated about people and businesses in general. Her open mind about the future and her ability to conquer anything she sets her mind to is appealing to my growth as an individual. Kysha taught me that nothing is permanent unless you decide it is. If I am not passionate in what I do, then I have the power to change it.

In an excerpt from The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, the Roman philosopher explains why work is not only important but essential for a human being to have a purpose. In his excerpt, Marcus Aurelius explains that people should take pleasure in work just as the plants, birds, bees, and the natural world do. It is apart of our purpose. He writes:

Dost thou exist then to take thy pleasure, and not at all for action or exertion? Dost thou not see the little plants, the little birds, the

ants, the spiders, the bees working together to put in order their several parts of the universe? And art thou unwilling to do the work of a human being, and dost thou not make haste to do that which is according to thy nature? (The Meditations)

This excerpt asks the reader to think about work as more of a life purpose than just a job to make money. He even implies that it is against our nature as humans to not work and not have a purpose. I really enjoyed this passage because it is a philosophical reason for working. Today, we think that we work for money and the things it buys. However, the author compares the work that we do to piecing together the universe. Aurelius says, “ Dost thous not see the little plants, the little birds, the ants, the spiders, the bees working together to put in order their several parts of the universe?” (The Meditations). I find this very profound because it allows us to believe that the work we do here, while we are on this earth, is apart of a legacy that we leave long after we no longer exist. I am a teacher and I related to this excerpt because it makes me believe that I am making a difference by working. By educating and inspiring others to learn, I feel like I am making an impact not only on myself but on the world because I am teaching tomorrow's leaders. If even the smallest animal in nature can make an impact on the universe then I believe I am making a huge impact every day that I work.

08/30/2014

“To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school . . . it is to solve some of the problems of life, not only theoretically, but practically.” - Henry David Thoreau

While reading through our English class list of philosophers from Aristotle to sociologist Karl Marx, I was fairly familiar with most of the philosophical readings as I am a bit of a bookworm but the philosopher that I was unfamiliar with was philosopher Robert Burton. Burton was an English scholar at Oxford University in the 1600’s best known for his classic work “The Anatomy of Melancholy”. He believed knowledge of psychology was humankind’s greatest need and wrote Melancholy coincidentally to himself from suffering of depression. The classic work speaks to the natural infatuations and despairs of lovers, the rage of madmen, and the agonies and ecstasies of religious devotees (Wikipedia). Coming from a Christian background I can identify with some of Burton’s thoughts to naming idleness a disease of some sort. His thought, “A young man is like a fair new house: the carpenter leaves it well built, in good repair, of solid stuff, but a bad tenant lets it rain in, and for want of reparation, fall to decay, etc…” reminds me of the things my childhood pastor would say. The way I interpret Burton’s words apply to my religious mind – the carpenter is Christ (our creator) who has built this house (our bodies) and we are to take care of ourselves: mind, body, and soul. However, a bad tenant (someone who disrespects their body and others) becomes idle and may indulge in negative or unworthy things. I guess the saying “Idle hands do the Devils work” had to come from somewhere, maybe we have our philosophical fathers from centuries before to thank for that.

`I chose Roosevelt as my pholispher, "Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing". What roosevelt is basically trying to say is that we have the cultural freedom and political power to pursue our dream job. I belive this is true, there is no social heirarchy that says you were born to farmers, there for you have to be a farmer. If we were born to farmers we can work hard and become CEOs and vice vera, if you were born to CEO's you could be a farmer is that was your choice.

In an article i found a man named Kevin Green went from being homless to becoming a millionare. He was born to farmers in ferryside and after a falling out with his father about his choice in not wanting to continue in the family business he found himself homless. He was living on the street for several monthes, then he finally decided to stop feeling sorry for himself and decided to get a job in farm management. Soon after that he began managing three farms. With his drive he was able to became one of Uk's largest residential property land owners.

I chose to read the writings of Marcus Aurelius. Marcus Aurelius was a complex human being, for he was not only a philosopher but a ruler as well. His views on work were advanced, not only for his time but for a ruler as well. Often times people portray old rulers as lazy old men who are egotistical and have too much self value. In this writing from marcus Aurelius he spoke of himself as a worker and a person. he talked about the daily struggle of getting out of bed and going to work, which is a struggle people face today and will always face. he talks about there being a balance in the world and in nature. One needs to work but they need to rest as well. However, this does not mean rest all day or night but in purposeful andappropriate amounts. In Marcus's writings he says, "It is necessary to take rest also. It is necessary: however nature has fixed bounds to this too: she has fixed bounds to both eating and drinking, and yet thou goest beyond those bounds, beyond what is sufficient" (Marcus Aurelius) Meanign we should do things in our life how we were intended to. We should not over eat, over drink, over work or over rest. This applies to all aspects of our daily lives. People today have these very issues of over doing what we are meant to do. We refer to these people as over achievers, underachievers, alcoholics, and obesis. Life is about balance asnd everyone need to do their part for this balance to be achieved. He was saying men were not meant to be over worked until death while others sit in bed all day and do nothing. It was about everyone playing their role in society. He states. "So thou lovest not thyself, for if thou dist, thou wouldst love thy nature and her will" (Marcus Aurelius). Confirming that you should love yourself, your place and role in life and nature. It was a great read. I have attached a video where Marcus Aurelius was portrayed in the movie Gladiator.

08/28/2014

For as long as I can remember, I have been an artist. I never made much money, and that was never my purpose. I need to create. I doodled on nearly every school paper that crossed my desk, and that led to one of my teachers asking if I would make posters for her class. I agreed because I needed the extra credit. I drew comic book characters in action stances with silly names like, “The Denominator”, for her to decorate her walls in each workstation. It was fun for me, and I thought I would be a comic book writer when I grew up. As I got into high school, I had a friend introduce me to slot car racing. That was fun, and I had a chance to design my own car bodies. A few of the regulars liked my car bodies, and asked me to make a few for them, so I started making a bunch and selling them. An unfinished body cost anywhere from $1.50-$12. I would mask off the windows, and reverse paint them, then turn around and sell them for $20-$50 each. The experience of designing cars was probably the first hobby that I truly loved, and realized I could make money off of. I remember when my buddy, Cory, asked me to paint the body of his ’75 Ford Maverick. I really wanted to do a good job for him, because I had a crush on him. I researched classic paint colors for that model and talked to him about any designs or custom striping he might like. He told me not to make it traditional, that he wanted a design straight outta my head. I was ecstatic! For the first time, I took my time to feel the plastic in my hands. I ran my fingertips over every line and groove and tried to memorize its shape and details. When I cracked open the plum colored paint, I honestly couldn’t tell you if it was the fumes, or my euphoria that had me light headed. I had never taken the time to mask out windows and wheel wells like that before. My goal was perfection, and I was careful with each spray coat to make sure I achieved it. When the last coat of candy plum was finished, I just stared at the car, mesmerized by the metallic flecks catching the light. I realized at that moment, that I needed to do something involving that detailed creativity. I thought about designing cars specifically, but over the years, I’m not sure if that’s what I want. I just know that when I’m focused on detailed work, that allows me to express my creativity, I feel content. But the best part is seeing a completed project. Slot cars are functional pieces of art. The shape of the car body can affect the performance of the car. That shape, the design, is art. When I marry a sexy paint job to a slot car body that is built for speed, it's satisfying. I know the owner of that car can imagine themselves speeding down the road behind the wheel of that car. To know that my work can bring joy, and fun into the lives of whoever wants it is satisfying. The joy and pride I get at seeing a job well done, is a kin to winning an award. It doesn’t matter if my mantle is lined with trophies. Sure a steady paycheck would be nice, but it’s not the driving factor in my need to work. Julian Schnabel said, “Sometimes people like to blame their day job and say that’s why they don’t-why they haven’t achieved what they wanted to achieve. But the fact of the matter is when people get the free time, most of them don’t know what the hell to do. And then they have nothing. No job to blame. Nobody to blame” (358). I realized that she is talking about me here. I am guilty of putting off my dreams of a career in art, or something I love, and “blaming my day job” as a full time mother. I am here as a college student to change that. By getting my degree in computer aided design and drafting, I am hoping to get back to following my desire to “paint cars”. Whether I actually work on cars, or design buildings, I’ll still be doing the detailed, artistic work that I have always been drawn to, and that will fulfil my need to work.

When I was a kid, I’d get to go to work with my mom and dad sometimes. They both worked construction, grading specifically. I was awed by the size of the heavy machinery they drove to shape and move the earth. My dad was the superintendent of his company, so he would give me a thrill by diving down steep grades with me in his truck. It was like a roller coaster, fast, and exciting. I remember begging my dad to go again, and again, until my sides hurt from the butterflies and giggling. Mom and dad always thought I’d grow up and work construction like them. I really did love it. But more than the thrill of playing in huge Tonka trucks in the dirt all day, I loved imagining the homes that would be built on all the flat lots mom and dad made. They got to shape the earth into roads, and sidewalks. But they never actually built anything. I wanted to build the houses that families would love, and make their homes. I always admired, and respected my mom and dad for the work they did, but to me, it was “invisible” work. Like the pedestal that holds a fine piece of art, it goes unnoticed. When families drive through those neighborhoods, they see houses, parks, trees and gardens. Nobody says, “What a fantastic job they did on the dirt under this town!”

I mean, there is an art to it all and I could always see that. That aspect always drew me to construction. I want to be creative in whatever job I do. I’ve always felt a need to create, to be artistic. I love that in art, everything is a one of a kind masterpiece, because everyone that produces it is unique. Like Susie Johnson, the computer chip layout designer said of her job, “You could take one of these audio chips and give it to five different layout people and it would probably come back five different ways…” (104-105). It’s the same thing with designing buildings. Say a client tells five different architects the specifications of a building, and asked them to design it, and they would all be different. I love that about art, but specifically architecture because it provides a basic need, as well as being solid, and lasting. Susie Johnsons job has other similarities for her, that I would think fit with designing buildings too. She says, “I like that you can be a little artistic, and I also like that its technical and you get to solve problems” (106). I think all of that is needed as an architect, and showcases the artistic side even more. Like the gothic cathedrals with their gargoyles, and pious saints in stone. They are beautiful and artistic buildings that showcase the architects’ talents for centuries, while serving a function. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave behind in this life. I think of it as intelligent art. Take a look at the links below and understand why this is art to me, more than work, and you may begin to understand my passion for this.

I have always had my hands in some kind of art, and creative outlet. I think being able to work at something you love, is what life is all about. Too many people work just for a paycheck. Thats great as long as you can make the time to do what you love too. Like John Dove explaines in his story of why he works as an automobile parts specialist, "...[W]hat's good about this job is, ...I have a lot of downtime, lots of slow time that I can devote to my projects- just little things to keep my creativity alive" (82). John said he wasnt able to earn enough money to pay the bills with his art, yet its still an important aspect of his life, so he makes sure he has time away from work to express his creativity. Like John, I'm not making money from my art. Not yet at least, but I hope someday that I can find a way to combine the two. I have realized I should work in a job that allows me to showcase my desire, and tallent for art.

08/27/2014

I've never known much about porn and I would have liked to keep it that way. I know a lot of people who struggle with (or enjoy) a porn addicition, or even occasional viewing. I was a freshmen in college, talking to a girl who I had a few mutual friends with. About two minutes into our conversation the question of "do you work or just go to school?" arose. She confidentally answered me that she was a porn star. I was then filled in on a lot of details about the porn world that I did not care to know. As Brad Armstrong (Rod Hopkins) explains in "Porn Star", porn stars-or adult performers- dont' use their real name. For the past five years, he has been contracted with Wicked Pictures (contains explicit content), one of the top three companies in the industry. What really struck a cord with me about this article is his comment on why he enjoys being in the industry. He says, "I'm helping people. And it really feels good to know that. It's very rewarding. Self-esteem? I've got it. I'm rolling in it." (448) Courtney Cummz tells Cosmopolitan Magazine of what it's like to be a porn star and why she enjoys it as well. I was honestly appalled at what Brad had to say about the porn industry being "romantic" and giving husbands who are unhappy with their wives performances something to jerk off to. "And lately, a lot of couples are benefiting from our films as well." (448) says Brad. It's an industry that is reaching our culture in an incredibly vulgar way and all it does is bring more and more baggage into peoples lives whether they realize it right now or not. Shelley Lubben, an ex-porn star started the Pink Cross Foundation, an outreach program to help those transitioning out of porn, those stuck in porn, and those affected by sex trafficking. The porn industry needs to be exposed for what it truly is. Below is a video with Shelley Lubben, discussing her experiences with the filth of the porn industry.